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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Weekend Expansion and a little sunshine...

It was a pleasant, brisk sunny day on Saturday. The kind that trick you into going outside with the sun shining and then a winter breeze comes up holds your hand and searches for a chink in your armor and attempts to chill you to the bone. (Good reasons to work hard to stay warm!)

As I had jobs I wanted to get done outside though, it the best day I was going to get for a while so into the cold sun I went. I had done some prep work last weekend for our garden expansion and today I finished the construction faze. I put some gravel for the paths around the raised beds (don't worry, you'll see pics below, and that will probably make it clearer) but as most people weren't open past 1:00 I will spend next week getting more gravel and lots of dirt. Then I'll have almost 2X the amount of planting space as last year. I seem to always pack things in no matter how much room, but I'll to make it a little more zen like and open and uncramped and stuff like that.

I think someday I'll write a book. Something like "Laws of Gardening" and I'll go down into history as the father of modern gardening or some such. People will speak of the Phares Laws the same way - in the same hushed reverent tones - they speak of Newtons or Zeroth Laws. My first one will be something like "Gardening expands to 114% of the space allotted." Another one will be "For every 1 seed you plant, 17.34 weeds will grow." Fun laws like that. I'll have to come up with case studies and proofs, but for every fun job you must have a chore or two so I won't mind.

(just a tidbit for you to think of this next week or so)

On to more fun. My two dogs and big helper, Lucy, were out as usual, so there are a few pictures at the end. I think gardening (maybe my third law of Gardening) is increased 19.32% by every "helper" that comes out to join the fray. I will have to say that this grand total must be divided by the average age of the "help" or perhaps the subluniary total in conjunction with the temperature forms a basis for increase of enjoyment. Something to confuse anyone who is not an avid gardener. But proof or not, having children, grand children, or your neighbors children (provided no one gets hurt) makes it lots of fun.

So, in closing, I hope you all had a great year and next year is even better. Merry Christmas!